HOLE HIT LONDON FOR ALBUM SESSIONS

Hole are expected in London early next week to begin working on string arrangements for their forthcoming album...

Hole are expected in London early next week to begin working on string arrangements for their forthcoming album – due for a July 6 release on Geffen Records.

Nine Inch Nails’ Chris Vrenna is programming drum tracks on the as-yet untitled album – produced by Michael Beinhorn – while Billy Corgan co-wrote seven of the tracks. Courtney Love has described the album as the most “uncynical’ and “least grungelike” she’s recorded. “Cynicism is dead and I used the sign of the cross to keep out the grunge,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Orange County, Florida prosecutor’s office has told NME it will not pay a $(US)27,543 legal bill that Courtney Love ran up in her defence against two charges of battery. Love, who was cleared of misdemeanour charges that she hit two fans during a 1995 Hole concert in Orlando, wants the county to reimburse her for legal fees incurred for her defence.

But Orange County assistant attorney George Dorsett tells NME the $1,900 they have agreed to pay will be their last offer. They originally offered to pay just $254. “As far as we’re concerned, that’s all we’re required to pay,” Dorsett said. “We’ve looked very carefully at case law and as far as we’re concerned we’re following the law.”

Love is said to have spent over $15,000 on expert witnesses and $5,000 on a private investigator. “She’s asking to be reimbursed for a limousine to come to court,” Dorsett added. “It’s not the most unusual case I’ve seen, but in order to run up a bill like that, usually it’s a very serious case.”

Finally, Courtney has abandoned her efforts to halt the release of Nick Broomfield’s Kurt And Courtney documentary. Love’s attorney, Michael Chodos, said last week: “At this point we’ve seen the film, and it’s just not worthy of any further response.” The BBC say they plan to transmit the documentary as the first show in a new Storyville series in July.

Ironically, early last week, Love’s lawyers sent a threatening letter to the Roxie Cinema in San Francisco when it opened a two-week run of the film. Her attorney’s letter said that the film, “conveys the message that Ms. Love killed her husband, or somehow participated in his murder. Such accusations are false and defamatory.”

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Broomfield’s film includes testimony from characters who allege Courtney may have been involved in Cobain’s death. The letter warned that the theatre would share liability with Broomfield if a lawsuit were filed. Roxie owner Bill Banning said he was protected in screening the film by the American legal system’s First Amendment. A capacity crowd of 3,500 people attended the opening day’s screening.